well to be patient with me this morning I have a cold I've taken Lemsip which is grand it's good it stops your nose from running but then it dries up your mouth and obviously as you know I need to have a lubricated mouth so I should be patient as we look together at God's word so please come with me to Job chapter 28 maybe this morning you're asking yourself the question why? why Lord? Why me, Lord? Lord, why does it have to be like this? Why? If that's the question that is in your mind, it's certainly the question that's in the mind of Job. As we come to Job, he's lost everything. Wealth, reputation, health. Why? He's lost his children. Why? he's lost everything. Why? Why? Why? And in his distress he's joined by his three wise friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. And they've come to comfort Job. But who needs comforters like these? Now they've got all of Job's problems sorted out. If only he would listen to them then he would understand why all this has happened to him. Job, let's explain it to you. You ask why? What does Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar? This is the answer. Doesn't God reward the righteous? Doesn't God punish the wicked? So Job, if you suffer more than other men, there can only be one reason, one answer. You are a greater sinner than other men. Are you not Job? Is he? On the contrary, Job is the one man in the world who is careful to avoid offending God. We're told right at the start of the book when Job's sons and daughters would feast we read so it was when the days of feasting had run their course that Job would send and sanctify them, his children and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all for Job said it may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts thus Job did regularly he's the one man who's careful to avoid offending God and God himself acknowledges that this is innocent suffering then the Lord said to Satan, have you considered my servant Job that there is none like him on the earth a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil and still he holds fast his integrity although you incited me against him to destroy him without cause God himself says Job is a righteous man, he's an innocent man and that's the point He doesn't suffer because he sinned, he suffers because he is righteous. Do you remember the devil's slanderous accusations? Oh, the slander of the wicked one. So Satan answered the Lord and said, does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? you have blessed the work of his hands and his possessions have increased in the land but now stretch out your hand and touch all that he has and he will surely curse you to your face what a Job served you, you make it worth his while oh but then make him suffer take away what you've given to him and then you'll see the real Job then he'll curse you to your face But Job doesn't, does he? In all this, Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. Job's reaction to his suffering proves that the devil is a liar. Job doesn't obey because he's in God's pay. Job obeys because God is the love of his life. So Job resists the false charges of his three friends. He's convinced that this really is innocent suffering. Yes, Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, I am a sinner but not in a way that explains this. Now, of course, we've been let into the secret, haven't we? We're told the secret right at the start of Job. We see behind the scenes. We know what's going on. But Job and his friends don't. So, facing these extraordinary events, this extraordinary suffering that's come into the life of Job, Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar say, we can explain why. We can answer the question. We know what God is doing. In other words, their God is small enough and tame enough to explain. They've got Him in their pocket. hence the meekness and the ease of their explanation Job by contrast says I don't know what's going on unlike his three friends he really is coming to terms with the majesty and the sovereignty and the incomprehensibility of God nevertheless Job does believe that he ought to be able to understand what's going on If only God would meet with me. That's his constant refrain. If only I could find him. If only he would meet with me. If only God would come, stand in front of me and explain himself. If only he would tell me why. Then I'd understand. Then I'd be at peace. Why, Lord? Now, maybe this morning I don't face what Job faced. but I am facing difficult questions. Maybe I'm facing a very difficult question. I'm facing my situation, every instinct in me is crying out, why? Why Lord? Why me Lord? Lord, why does it have to be like this? Difficult questions. And it's into Job's situation and into my situation that chapter 28 now speaks. Now, who is speaking in this chapter? Well, the Book of Job is not a sort of fly-on-the-wall documentary about four men sitting around an ash heap musing over what has happened to them and their words being written down and recorded verbatim in that sort of way. The Book of Job is a beautifully structured poem wonderfully crafted by an unknown writer So chapter 28, how are we to come to it? Well, think of a stage and Job and his three friends have now made their exits now onto the stage comes the writer this is the author's interlude and he's making a point he's addressing Job's question he's addressing every difficult question I have ever asked he is answering the why So please have chapter 28 open in front of you. We have two points, one long, one short. We'll begin with the longest first, and simply point number one is the exposition. Let's go through this chapter, let's understand what it's saying. Now, verses 1 to 11, what's it all about? Did you pick it up as you read it? One word, it's about mining. verse one, surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined iron is taken from the earth and copper is smelted from ore man puts an end to darkness and searches every recess for ore in the darkness and the shadow of death wonderful poetry isn't it? but it's saying the lengths to which man will go to seek out the treasures which lie deep within the earth silver, gold, iron, copper verse four, he breaks open a shaft away from people in places forgotten by feet they hang far away from men they swing to and fro they'll be walking in Cornwall or North Wales or maybe in the wilds of Yorkshire and you're far away from anyone and you're in long forgotten places and you come across old mine workings where men sank mine shafts deep into the earth And they lowered themselves down into the depths, as it says in verse 4, they're swinging to and fro as they're lowering themselves down the mineshaft. Very evocative, isn't it? A wonderful picture. Do you see it? And also the writer, verses 5 to 8, far away from the world above, men search and dig and look for gold and sapphires. Verse 9, tunnelling deep into the very roots of the mountains. Now is this mining for treasure an easy thing? No. The rock is hard. The treasure lies deep within it. There's the constant danger of flooding. But whatever the difficulty, whatever the danger, man brings forth what is hidden to the light. Verse 9, he puts his hand on the flint, he overturns the mountains at the roots, he cuts out channels in the rocks, His eye sees every precious thing. He damns up the streams from trickling. What is hidden, he brings forth to light. How would you describe man's search for the harvest of the deep places? Ingenious? Unrelenting? Determined? Skillful? Ultimately, it's successful, isn't it? The Western Deep level gold mine near Johannesburg is one of the deepest mines in the world. The mine shafts run to a depth of nearly four kilometres, that's over two miles. Now what does it take to produce just one ounce of gold from this mine? Just one ounce, that's 31 grams. Well, putting aside all the dynamite and all the back-breaking labour of the miners, to produce one ounce of gold it takes 3.3 tons of ore, 5,440 litres of water, 572 kilowatt hours of electricity, and 12 cubic meters of compressed air, just to produce one ounce of gold. So how would you describe man's search for treasure? We have to say, wouldn't it, no obstacle is too great. No difficulty insurmountable. no adversity that isn't there to be overcome. No matter how deep or obscure or remote, man employs all his ingenuity in the unrelenting pursuit of the treasures that lie in the earth. Verse 11, what is hidden he brings forth to light. Eventually he stretches out his hand, he is able to hold on to it and he brings it out into the light. ultimately the treasures of the earth are accessible if you're determined enough to find them. Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. But now, says the author, there is a greater treasure than gold or silver or precious stones. And what is that? Wisdom. Oh, there's a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. What is hidden, we can bring forth to the light. We can plunder the treasures of the earth. But, verse 12, where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Where can I find answers to my questions? When I cry, Why, Lord? when I don't understand? How can I bring what's hidden to the light? Where can I find the answers? Where can I find wisdom? Now that is a treasure worth having, isn't it? Yet, looking at the human race, you wouldn't think so. Verse 13, man does not know its value. We have gold rushes, don't we? But we don't have rushes for wisdom. men would rather ransack the earth for gold than go in search of wisdom well be that as it may here's the question where can wisdom be found? do you know? verse 13 is it found in the land of the living? verse 14 is it found in the deep places of the earth? the deep says it's not in me What is it found in the sea? Verse 14, the sea says, it's not with me. Well, can you buy it? After all, everything has its price, doesn't it? Verse 15, it cannot be purchased for gold, nor can silver be weighed for its price. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir. in precious onyx or sapphire, neither gold nor crystal can equal it neither can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine gold no mention shall be made of coral or quartz for the price of wisdom is above rubies the topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it nor can it be valued in pure gold. Wisdom is priceless its value exceeds all the treasures of the earth so if you can't buy it Verse 20, from where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding? The fact is, verse 21, it's hidden from the eyes of all living. No matter how ingenious you are, no matter how thorough your search, you will never discover the place where wisdom is found. Verse 21, it is hidden from the eyes of all living and concealed from the birds of the air. Even a spy satellite can't discover its hiding place. So where then can you find wisdom? Where can I get these answers to my questions? If it's not found in the land of the living, maybe it's found in the world beyond our world. Verse 22, destruction and death say, we have heard a report about it with our ears. Oh, you hear faint echoes of wisdom There are scanty reports of wisdom from the world beyond our world. That's no help, is it? I live in this world. Where can I get answers to my questions? When I don't understand, where is wisdom to be found? Says the writer, there is only one who understands. Only one who knows the place where wisdom is to be found. Who's that? Tell me, please. verse 23 God understands its way and he knows its place the only one with the key to all unknown is the one who knows all the only one who understands how this universe works is the one who works all things according to the counsel of his will anyone who can navigate God's infinite designs the mystery of providence is God himself do you see verse 20 from where then does wisdom come and where is the place of understanding verse 23 God understands its way and he knows its place the only one with the answers the only one who understands what God is doing In this world, in your life, is God himself. Verse 24, for he looks to the ends of the earth and he sees under the whole heavens. To understand what God is doing, you need to be able to see as far as God sees. Or can you? To get answers to your questions, you need to know what God knows. Well, do you? I can only see to the horizon. How far is that? I don't know. On a clear day, is it 20 miles? 30 miles? Verse 24, God sees to the ends of the earth. In reality, I can see no further than my back garden. Verse 24, He sees under the whole heavens. He sees all. knows all, understands all, rules all, controls all. Of course he does. He's God. Incomprehensible, majestic, sovereign, infinite. How then can I expect to understand his infinite designs? Now look at verses 25 and 26 because the writer now gives us an illustration. He's talking about a storm. Just one storm. How many storms will sweep across this world today? I don't know. Probably hundreds, thousands. Just one storm, let's say, says the writer. Let's just take one storm. The wind blows, doesn't it? You say, I feel the breath of a storm, the wind is picking up. You see the great storm clouds, they begin to muster. and you hear that little patter of rain and it gets louder and louder and then such is the violence and the percussion as the heavens open that you bow your head and you run for cover and as you look up you see these great dark purple black sometimes swirling masses and they seem to brood over us and then maybe a sudden bolt of lightning and a great peal of thunder It's a storm and it's awesome and exhilarating and sometimes it's terrifying. Does lightning strike twice? As we look up, as we watch, as we run for cover, who can make sense of the storm? Just watch it. Just stand in it. Just feel it moving around you. It's ungovernable, isn't it? Who can control the storm? And it's chaotic. And it's immeasurable and complex and multi-dimensional. I can hear it. I can see it. I can feel it. And it's all conquering. And just under one storm, never do I feel so small and so powerless before the path of the storm. So what do we read here? Verse 24. He looks to the ends of the earth and seas and the whole heavens to establish a weight for the wind and a portion for waters by measure. When he made a law for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt. Then he saw, now it says in my translation, your translation, it's got here wisdom. Wisdom's not in the original. It simply says, then he saw it and declared it. He prepared it and indeed he searched it out. It's all talking about the storm. You see what it's saying? It's saying far from the storm being something random and chaotic and ungovernable. It's saying when it comes to the storm, God is in perfect control. In fact, the storm is His design. Verse 27, He prepared it. Indeed, He searched it out. And the language is of God as a great engineer. And there it is, He's taking measurements of the storm. Verse 25, the weight of the wind. Have you ever heard such a thing? There's no engineering like this, is there? And he's making adjustments, verse 25, to the volume of water discharged. Maybe he has a number of raindrops that are to fall, and where they will fall. God is in perfect control. Verse 26, the storm is governed by his law, his decree. And the storm dare not transgress his decree. God has fixed it. This is what will happen. The storm can't move outside the boundaries that he has set. And does lightning strike twice in the same place? Only by his command. Verse 26. When he made a law for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt, it goes to the very place he chooses. Do you see? the ungovernable chaos of the storm is actually under God's perfect supervision. And everything, despite appearances, is ordered, measured, contained, controlled. It's all fulfilling his wise purposes. It's all his design. Now who would have thought that? Who would have imagined that? Certainly when you're in the storm. That there's an answer, there's an explanation for everything that's taking place in this storm. In spite of appearances, there's a great engineer behind it and it's all moving perfectly to his design. Who would have believed it? Who would have thought it? And it's not just the how of a storm, because some scientists will come along and say, why? I can explain how a storm works. It's the why of the storm that God's got his hand on. When you're standing down here and the storm is breaking over your head, Well, who can make sense of it? We can't. But God can, and does. Now says the writer, think about it, think about it. Come on, use your mind. Get engaged. He says, if that's just one little storm sweeping across this planet, and you're awed into submission, and you don't understand what's going on, then how can you expect to understand the great design How can you expect to understand all God's ways? He's working to an infinite plan. So why should I expect to understand it? His is a perfect design. So why should I expect to make sense of it? Here is God's method. So how can I expect to grasp its meaning? His ways are past finding out. His greatness as a psalmist is unsearchable. How far can I see to the bottom of my garden? How long have I lived? Just a few short days upon the earth. How clever am I? I can't even multitask. So how, why should I expect to know then what God is doing? Only God has the answers. Only God understands what He is doing. And for me to understand those answers, and for me to understand what God is doing, I would need to be God Himself. Only He can explain Himself. Only He can understand what He's doing. Only God understands God. So, when I ask why? Oh, there's a wonderfully wise answer. But only the all-wise God understands it. only he can understand the brilliance and the intricacy of his designs as William Henry Green in his commentary on Job he puts it like this he says the secret that resolves all mysteries harmonizes all strifes reconciles all contradictions and reduces this seemingly inextricable confusion to perfect symmetry and order is hidden in the infinite mind of God. Christian friend, I'm too foolish to understand His consummate wisdom. I'm just too stupid to keep up with His infinite intellect. His ways are past finding out. So, what am I to do? If I can't understand the way that God rules the universe, And therefore, there are going to be times when I can't understand why he's doing what he's doing in my life. If that wisdom is above me, if that wisdom is out of my reach, if that wisdom alone belongs to God, what then am I to think? Of course, as the writer, I'll tell you what to think. When it comes to your questions, when it comes to your why, this is what you're to think. verse 28, and to man he said behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding we're redefining wisdom aren't we? wisdom is not about getting answers it's not about explanation Because only the all-wise God has got those answers and you've got to be an all-wise God to understand how it all works and how it all fits together. Only he understands how he governs his universe. So in the light of that, says the writer, your wisdom is not getting the answer, your wisdom is to govern your life by his word. Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. As if only God understands the mysteries of providence, your understanding is to know how to please God today and to depart from evil is understanding. Do you see, Christian friends? Forget about trying to understand all and everything. For you, for me, for the people of God, wisdom is fearing God and obeying his word. Let's wrap up the exposition. Job is in the middle of a storm. His three friends say, Job, we understand. Job says, I don't understand. I don't understand this at all, but if God explained it to me, then I would understand. The writer says, wisdom is a treasure that is beyond Job's reach, beyond all our reach. That being so, the only wise thing to do is to fear God and to obey Him. Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. And to depart from evil is understanding. Wisdom is not knowing why. Wisdom is not getting answers to my questions. Wisdom is fearing God and departing from evil. It's trusting God to be God, because that's who he is. And he knows what he's doing. Point number one, the exposition. Point number two, much shorter. The answer. If Job 28 is true, then the answer to my question is not necessarily an answer to my question. sometimes there is no answer. Well there is an answer but not an answer that can be revealed to me and not in this life, not in this world. The answer to my question is to fear God, Christian friend. The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding. Now Christian friend, have you realised that? Maybe you've got a big question. Maybe like a a great big hound, it's been following you around for years and it's always on your trail and you're never free of it whenever you turn around, you see it pursuing you and sometimes when you sit down and you want to be quiet, it comes and sits down next to you and you feel this great hound, you feel this breath upon you it's always with you and you say, why not? Why? and the question goes round and round and round and round And you think, well, when God gives me the answer, then I will have peace. Wrong. Peace is not found in answers. It's found in fearing God. Now, what is it to fear God? There was a Christian woman, an American. She lost her husband in the Vietnam War. When she received the news of his death, She was at home with her friends. So what did she do? She went straight into her room and shut the door. Now after some time her friends began to be concerned. She'd been there for such a long time. So they quietly stepped up to the door and they put their ear to the door and they listened. And all they could hear were her words. And she was saying, Oh father! Oh my father! Now was that a sudden desperate reaction to this tragedy? But it was more wasn't it? Here was a woman who in happier times had often entered the secret place and shut the door behind her to see her father's face. Here was a woman who dwelt near the cross who had given her heart to the one who loved her, and had given himself for her. Here was a woman who delighted in her Lord, who felt safe in his presence, who hated all that offended him, and for whom this relationship, her relationship with God, was the one thing, was the pivot, was the axis upon which all her universe turned. Here was a woman who feared the Lord, who in the hour of crisis could therefore sink into his comforting arms." That was the answer she needed, wasn't it? That was the place of peace. To hold the fear of the Lord, that is Muslim. To depart from evil is understanding. Have you understood that, Christian friend? Have you grasped that? Have you done the same? The answer you need is to go into your room and to shut the door. That's the answer you need. Go into your room and to seek the embrace of your Heavenly Father. It's in His arms. that you will find your peace that you will find your comfort but let's say something more let's try and put it another way this question that's bothering you you're driving down Twickenham High Street there's a lady crossing the road There's a police car that speeds by with its sirens on. And just over there there's a lorry reversing. What do I need to know? Who that lady is? Where that police car is going? What load that lorry is carrying? Is that what I need to understand as I drive down Twickenham High Street? Lots of questions I could ask as I drive down that road. But actually there's only one thing I need to do. and that's to drive safely down the high street and to react wisely to what I see. That's my business. That's my wisdom. Christian friends, why has God made me like I am? Why has God put me in the family that He has? Why do my loved ones suffer sorrow and sickness Why do I have experiences that I wish I could forget? Why has my life turned out as it has? Lord, why me? Lord, why does it have to be like this? Lord, why am I so troubled? And who will I marry? And when will I meet them? And what does the future hold? And what is my calling? And how can I make this life count for God? And will all my children be saved? And why are churches who are there to preach the gospel, why are they so troubled and divided and going through difficult things? And why is Satan allowed to plague us? And anyway, why was Satan in the Garden of Eden? And why doesn't God elect everyone? And how can there be, why is there a never ending hell? Why can't all my loved ones go to heaven? Why Lord? Why me Lord? Lord, why does it have to be like this? Why? Christian friends, who can trace his hand? Who can make sense of the storm of trial and affliction? What is the question that's bothering you? And maybe there is no answer, not yet, not in this world, not in this life. Because only God can explain God. Only He can interpret His ways. And the answers that He has are wise, perfectly wise, but they're past our being able to find them out. As Paul says, O the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out. For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has become His counsellor? Or who has first given to him and it shall be repaid to him? Who does God go to for wisdom? He doesn't. He knows everything. For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever and ever. So that being so, wisdom is not getting an answer. Finding my peace is not to be found in explanations. Answers and peace I found in verse 28, the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and it apart from evil is understanding so many questions, maybe the big question but you make sure that you drive safely down that road only God knows how he governs his universe make it my business to govern my life by his word Only God can interpret the mysteries of providence, but I make it my business to please Jesus Christ today. Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.